_October 27th._--We passed the Tropic of Cancer at 4 p.m., and are going towards the Equator. We are in the tropics, and yet I cannot say that it is specially hot and airless. Our squadron going round Africa consists of the following ships: the battleships _Suvaroff_, _Alexander_, _Borodino_, _Orel_, _Oslyabya_; cruisers, _Dimitry Donskoi_, _Aurora_, _Nachimoff_; transports, _Kamchatka_, _Anadir_, _Meteor_, _Korea_, _Malay_, and the hospital-ship _Orel_. The _Meteor_, _Korea_, and _Malay_ are under the merchant flag; and so is the _Orel_, but she is also flying the Red Cross. We heard an unpleasant rumour to-day. It is said the squadron will make a long stay at Madagascar and carry out various exercises. Can it be so? This news annoys me. If we are there so long, when shall we get to Vladivostok? I console myself with the thought that this is a clever fiction. The captain laid in a reserve of white soap, which dissolves in salt water (generally soap does not). The fresh water is preserved for steaming, so you can only have a salt-water bath on board. My servant brought me a piece of this soap yesterday. I do not know how he obtained it. There is nearly 100 roubles' worth of it on board the _Suvaroff_. I have very few cigarettes left--only six boxes. It is a good thing you bought me 1,000 at Revel, and that I bought some at Libau, or I should be without them. _October 28th._--My servant is evidently attached to me. He is industrious and inquisitive. Just after we left Libau he saw a box of pastilles and said, "Did our barina [lady] really come to Libau, sir?" He came into my cabin to-day with a bucket and mop, and said, "Shall I interfere with your worship if I wash the deck?" It is very probable that from Dakar we shall go to Gaboon. We shall call at ports which I have never heard of before, or if I have it was a very long time ago--perhaps at school. I told the ship's photographer to prepare me a series of photographs which I will send you. They are not very characteristic, but better ones are not to be had.